Origin of word "redskin"

[Dennis R. Preston]

Ron Butters (Duke) has done a great deal of work in "Redskins" (as
the team name), and his conclusions may surprise you (and your BS
detector). I'll let him speak for himself (how could I stop him?)

dInIs



>Sorry if someone already posted this.
>
>While driving to work Wednesday morning, I caught the NPR segment
>with Frank Deford talking about sports teams names and American
>Indians.
>
>The thing that Deford said which set off my BS detector was that the
>origin of the word "redskin" was NOT in relation to the color of the
>Native American's skin, but rather the scalp that he sometimes took
>from a victim, (with blood dripping?).
>
>I hope my link to the interview will work
>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4665930
>
>The OED cites it from 1699, but it isn't clear in that cite to me.
>And the next cite there is from 1823, so leaves a big gap.
>
>Anyone done work on this one?
>
>Sam Clements


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages
A-740 Wells Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 432-3099
Fax: (517) 432-2736
preston at msu.edu